Successful pork producers combine their strong animal husbandry skills with respect for the environment and their communities. Because Mike Haupert of Lake Wilson exhibits these traits, he is the recipient of the 2007 National Environmental Steward Award.
Haupert is an independent contract finisher for Sleepy Eye-based Christensen Farms. He annually finishes 8,100 head of market hogs. Haupert’s brother, Dan, and their father, Harold, provide additional help, and his seven-year-old son, Jake, also lends a hand with the daily chores.
Prior to selecting a site to build the finishing barns, Haupert evaluated nearly 15 potential locations. He knew that when done properly, his financial and labor investment into contract finishing barns would meet his farm and family goals, and would add to Murray County’s economy. He sought nearby cropland that would benefit from the nutrients in swine manure, and took into account prevailing winds, acceptance by families living in the area, and environmentally suitable topography.
“My environmental philosophy has been, and will always be, to do the right thing,” Haupert said. “I did not rush into building this site. I knew what I wanted to do, and I knew that growing an agricultural enterprise would not only help me support my family, but it is also good for our small but strong rural communities.”
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres surround the site; supporting native grasses, trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and habitat for pheasants, deer, rabbits, partridges and songbirds. The CRP vegetation greatly adds to site aesthetics. Production manager for Christensen Farms, Stuart Moser, enjoys visiting the site, especially in summer.
“I am amazed by how spotless everything is,” he said. “In the summer, his landscaping comes to life and the trees and flowers are absolutely beautiful.”
Haupert is equally meticulous in other areas of the operation, especially manure management where he follows research-based practices used by many Minnesota pork producers. The below-barn concrete storage pits safely collect swine effluent where it remains securely contained until fall field application. Ron Scott, a licensed manure applicator and owner of Scott’s Liquid Handling, injects the manure below the soil. The application equipment reduces odors associated with manure handling. Prior to manure application, manure is tested for nutrient value and the soils are tested for nutrient requirements to support the following year’s crop. Since the manure application rate matches the crop’s fertilizer needs, the environment is protected from over application. Records are kept on the days, locations, and rate the nutrients are applied to the cropland.
Haupert reduces odor and manure generation by feeding rations that specifically target the pigs’ nutritional needs during various growth stages. Haupert also manages air quality with scheduled ventilation fan and equipment maintenance, and keeps the barn interiors clean. By removing dust and dirt buildup on fans and equipment, and discarding uneaten, old feed from the barn, air quality improvements are made. Haupert has also earned Christensen Farms’ Producer of the Year, Outstanding Christensen Farms Site honors.
